Patients across England have been facing significant delays in major A&E departments over December, as the ongoing NHS winter crisis takes its toll on the nation’s hospitals.
Nearly half (44.7 per cent) of all patients arriving at major ‘type 1’ A&Es waited more than four hours from arrival to admission, transfer, or discharge, the latest NHS statistics revealed today. This figure has risen from 43pc in November and is a slight decrease from the 45.3pc seen in December 2023 and the record high of 50.4pc in December 2022.
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust reported particularly severe delays, with almost two-thirds (64.3pc) of arrivals waiting over four hours. While Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust also saw high percentages of 63.7pc and 62.4pc, respectively.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people had to spend more than half a day waiting for a bed. A total of 54,207 attendances at A&Es in December had to wait over 12 hours from decision to admit to admission.
This is the third highest total on record and is up from 44,045 people in December 2023, but below the peak of 54,573 in December 2022. A total of 1,894 arrivals at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had to wait over 12 hours, which is more than at any trust in England.
More than half (53pc) of arrivals at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust had to wait over 12 hours, however, which is the highest proportion in the country. The NHS has endured one of its busiest Decembers to date, with a staggering 2.35 million people visiting A&E units across England.
Of these, over half, amounting to 1.44 million, attended major ‘type 1’ A&E departments which are equipped with consultant-led round-the-clock services including full resuscitation facilities and dedicated reception areas for accident and emergency patients. However, there is a silver lining as NHS waiting lists have shown signs of improvement.
Labour Leader Keir Starmer outlined his strategy to tackle these waiting times this past Monday, amidst an ongoing reduction in waiting lists for the third consecutive month. As of November, the number has dipped to 7.47 million individuals awaiting commencement of treatment, marking a decrease of 61,000 from October’s figures.
Additionally, the count of patients waiting over a year for treatment has also seen a decline, now standing at 221,889. This translates to just about 3pc of those on the waiting list experiencing such extended delays, a significant drop from the post-COVID-19 outbreak peak of 8.8pc in March 2021.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: “It is clear that hospitals are under exceptional pressure at the start of this new year, with mammoth demand stemming from this ongoing cold weather snap and respiratory viruses like flu – all on the back of 2024 being the busiest year on record for A&E and ambulance teams.
“I never fail to be impressed by the remarkable job that NHS staff across a range of services in the face of current challenges, remaining compassionate, professional and doing everything they can to see patients as quickly as possible while often working in hospitals that are full to bursting. It is hard to quantify just through the data how tough it is for frontline staff at the moment – with some staff working in A&E saying that their days at work feel like some of the days we had during the height of the pandemic.
“That hard work and resilience from staff, alongside vital tools like surgical hubs and community diagnostic centres that keep planned care isolated from winter pressure, meant the waiting list fell again in November to 7.48 million, with the NHS delivering 5pc more activity than the same period pre-pandemic.
“As the incredibly busy winter continues and hospitals clearly experience intense pressure, please do continue to only use 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 and 111 online for other conditions, as well as using your local GP and pharmacy services in the usual way.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said: “In the past six months, we have ended the junior doctors’ strikes so staff are on the front line not the picket line for the first winter in three years, and introduced the new RSV vaccine. But despite the best efforts of staff, patients are still receiving unacceptable standards of care.
“Although this winter’s campaign vaccinated more people than last winter, this strain of flu has hit hard, putting more than three times as many patients into hospital compared to this time last year. Annual winter pressures should not mean an annual winter crisis, which is why this government is making significant investment in the NHS, undertaking fundamental reform, and acting now to improve social care.
“It will take time to turn the NHS around, but the fact that waiting lists are now falling shows that change is possible.”